Ex-CIA Analyst Faces Punishment Over Secret Israel Leak Scandal

CIA turncoat gets prison for betraying America and Israel with leaked intelligence that jeopardized critical Middle East operations. Asif William Rahman’s actions exposed Israeli military preparations and forced our ally to delay its planned strike against Iran after the documents went public.

CIA Analyst Betrays Nation’s Trust

Former CIA analyst Asif William Rahman has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for leaking top-secret documents about Israeli military operations against Iran. Rahman, 34, held a top-secret security clearance since joining the agency in 2016 and worked at the US Embassy in Cambodia when he committed his treasonous acts in October 2024.

The Yale graduate accessed classified satellite images from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency showing Israeli military preparations for a retaliatory strike against Iran. Within 24 hours of Rahman stealing the documents on October 17, 2024, the highly sensitive intelligence appeared on multiple social media platforms, including Telegram, exposing Israeli aviation exercises and military movements.

National Security Compromised

The reckless leak forced Israeli officials to delay their planned counterattack against Iran, which had launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier that month. Rahman’s betrayal came during heightened Middle East tensions following Iran’s October 1st missile barrage against Israel, which itself was retaliation for Israeli operations against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists.

After transmitting the classified information to “multiple individuals he knew were not entitled to receive them,” Rahman attempted to cover his tracks by deleting work products, destroying electronic devices, and shredding original documents. FBI agents arrested Rahman in Cambodia on November 12, 2024, ending his months-long campaign of betrayal that prosecutors say severely compromised allied operations and U.S. intelligence integrity.

Justice Served for Betrayal

John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, delivered a scathing assessment of Rahman’s actions: “For months, this defendant betrayed the American people and the oaths he took upon entering his office by leaking some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets.” Despite facing up to 20 years in prison, Rahman received just over three years after pleading guilty to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information.

“By stealing and divulging classified information and then attempting to conceal his crimes, Asif Rahman not only violated the law; he also betrayed his oath as a government employee and his responsibility to the American people,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.

Rahman’s pathetic defense cited “family-related grief” and trauma from an assignment in Iraq as factors in his decision to compromise national security. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made it clear this case “should serve as a stern warning to those who choose to place their own goals over their allegiance to our nation.”

The relatively light sentence raises questions about the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to protecting America’s intelligence assets and supporting our critical ally Israel during ongoing conflicts with Iranian-backed terrorists. Despite the betrayal, Israel eventually conducted strikes on military targets inside Iran in late October 2024, demonstrating resolve even after Rahman’s leaks compromised operational security.

Sources:

CIA Analyst With Top Secret Clearance Gets 3-Year Sentence – Newsweek

Former CIA analyst sentenced to 37 months in prison for leaking Israeli attack plans | The Times of Israel

Ex-CIA analyst sentenced to over 3 years for leak of classified information | Reuters

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